Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-15
new DBVELOPMETS
Opinions Differ as to the Truthful
ness Of Stains Story.
A Report that Throws More Light
Upon the Affair.
The Officers Have Been Holding
Back Their Best Testimony.
John Harvey, a Member Of the
Gang, Promises to Divulge
Important Secrets.
The Affair Viewed from Both Sides.
Same Gang Said to Have Robbed
Winthrop Bank.
Special to the Kennebec Journal. I

Special to the Kennebec Journal
DEXTER, Oct. IA.
While looking around Dexter on Friday
who had the detective force in charge during
the search after the murderers Immediately
after the robbery, and gained his opinion on
the confession of young Stain. Said Mr..
Mills, 81 DO not believe one word of the con-
fession it lacks truthfulness all the way
through. 1t is next to impossible for three
| or more men to go across the country as he
alleges his gang went, without leaving some
trace behinC them. No less than sixteen
teams were sent out Immediately after the
murder, the same evening, and secured the
country around for a week or ten days. Ev-
cry hotel and tavern in every village and
country corner in a circle OF forty miles were
visited and all persons travelling about at
that time were traced until their identity and
destination were determined. The very
route that Stain says his party travelled over
was most thoroughly surveyed. If the party
did follow the route and did put up at the
hotels and house which Stain names, then the
landlords and hosts must have been paid to
keep mum about their movements"
Too Much Married.
From reports that have come to the ears of
your reporter tins morning, it would seem
that young Stain was not living with his first
wife at Augusta, not by any means. Crom-
/ tbet ha hos had
wives and that there are grave doubts about his
ever g tting divorces from any of them also
that he has lived one time or another in va
rious places with other women to whom he
was net married He is reported as having
been abusive to his wives and to have drv-
en- them from him. The fact that he was i'm
prisOned IN Norrdgewock Jail for this very
ofiense goes to prove that the reports are
somewhat founded.
Stain and Cromwell were arranged before
Judge Waldron at Town Hall, this morning
at 10 80 o'clock, when the attorneys for the
government asked that the case be continued
to one week from Saturday Oct. %. The
attorney for the prisoners making no objec-
ton, Judge Wsldron continued the case and
ordered the prisoners committed to Bangor
Jail until that time. Stain and Cromwell
were taken to Bangor on the afternoon train.
There was very little excitement at the hear
ing, the hall only being about half filled by
the citizens of the village. The strangest
part of the development to an outsider is the
fact that the people of Dexter are so loath to
accept the statements of young Stain. Your
of citizens today, and he finds as a rule that
the business men and that class of citizens
that we usually look to as the expression of
the town. take little or no stock in this con-
fession think the story might have been
made up from the history of the case as pub
lished at the time of the robbery. They say
that while they would be very glad to have
these statements proven, and would do all in
their power to get at the truth, and have the
name of J. Wilson Barron cleared before the
world, they cannot see that in this confession
| to Justify them in accepting it without fur
ther proof.
| One of the bank officials said to your re
porter, today, that they had spent thousands
of dollars trying TO clear up this mystery,
without avail, and now if someone else was
able to clear it up, they would be heartily
glad.
| On the other hand. the working people and
the Younger portion of the community be-
lieve Young Stains statements are suostan-
tially true and that the whole mystery is
solved.
The Dexter Gazette this evening says
ssThere are many things in this so called con-
fession that have an element of improtability
about them If the confession can be proved
the people will rejoice that the cloud has
been removed which has hung about the
memory and otherwise spotless character of
the late cashier; otherwise, the affair must
remain as heretofore, shrouded in mystery"
While. of course, there are many apparent
discrepancies in young Stains confession,
we find many incidents that appear to cor
oborate his statements.
Mr.. Thomas Bickell of this place, between
five and six o'clock on the day Of Mr.. Bar
ron's death, saw two men standing in the
doorway at the foot of the stairs leading to
the bank. He was at the hotel on arrival Of
the prisoner last evening. He supposed, ~